Best uBlock alternatives for 2025 after Google Chrome’s ban

Google’s decision to enforce its new extension specification, Manifest V3, has left many Chrome users with a significant issue: the removal of popular extensions like uBlock Origin. With Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers making the shift, this article explores the impact of this transition, alternatives for ad blocking, and the browsers that still support uBlock Origin.

Why Google is disabling uBlock Origin

In an effort to enhance privacy, security, and performance, Google introduced Manifest V3, which has begun to phase out older, less secure extension technologies. This new specification has led to Chrome disabling uBlock Origin, along with several other popular ad blockers.

Manifest V3 introduces significant changes to how extensions interact with web pages. A key change is the deprecation of the webRequest API, which ad blockers like uBlock Origin relied on to block intrusive content. Instead, the declarativeNetRequest API has been introduced, which has stricter limitations on how extensions can block content.

While Google claims that Manifest V3 improves security and performance, this has raised concerns among users, especially since ad blockers are a crucial tool in protecting privacy online.

What is Manifest V3 and how does it affect ad blockers?

Manifest V3 is the new version of the extension platform for Chrome and Chromium-based browsers, designed to provide users with more control over the permissions extensions have. While this aims to improve privacy and security by restricting extensions’ ability to remotely host code, it also removes some features that ad blockers rely on.

One of the most significant consequences of Manifest V3 is the removal of support for the webRequest API, which many ad blockers use to block ads. This means that popular ad blockers like uBlock Origin are no longer functioning on Chrome, unless they migrate to the new, limited functionality of Manifest V3.

Since October 2024, Chrome has begun disabling extensions that haven’t updated to Manifest V3, starting with uBlock Origin. Users are seeing pop-ups on their screens telling them that their extensions are “no longer supported” and offering the option to delete or manage them. While this move promises to increase security by limiting the potential for malware, it has also resulted in an increase in ads, including potentially scammy ones, on popular websites.

This change isn’t just limited to Chrome; other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge and Brave are also affected, making the transition away from Manifest V2 unavoidable for many users.

How Manifest V3 affects other Chromium-based browsers

While Chrome is the biggest name impacted, other browsers built on Chromium, like Microsoft Edge, have started to drop support for Manifest V2 extensions as well. This means that extensions like uBlock Origin are losing compatibility across multiple platforms.

However, there are still some browser alternatives for users who rely on uBlock Origin and other ad blockers:

• Mozilla Firefox: Firefox continues to support both Manifest V2 and V3, allowing uBlock Origin and other extensions to remain functional.
• Ghost Browser: Explicitly committed to supporting uBlock Origin.
• Opera: Offers support for Manifest V2 extensions, including uBlock Origin.
• Brave: Brave is still committed to supporting a range of ad blockers, including uBlock Origin and AdGuard, though its own ad-blocking capabilities might conflict with these extensions.
• Vivaldi: Vivaldi still supports Manifest V2 extensions, but this will end in June 2025. For now, it also has a built-in ad blocker.

Best uBlock Origin alternatives in 2025

While uBlock Origin users are facing a tough transition on Chrome, there are still a variety of alternatives to consider for ad blocking in 2025:

1. uBlock Origin Lite

This stripped-down version of uBlock Origin will continue to work on Chrome, but with limited functionality due to Manifest V3 restrictions. It’s a compromise for users who want some level of ad blocking without switching browsers.

2. AdGuard

AdGuard has already released a Manifest V3-compliant ad blocker, ensuring it will continue to work on Chrome and other Manifest V3 browsers. It’s one of the most popular alternatives to uBlock Origin.

3. Ghostery

Ghostery 10 has also updated to be Manifest V3-compliant and has been vocal about its stance on Google’s restrictions. This extension focuses on both ad-blocking and privacy.

4. AdBlock Plus

AdBlock Plus has announced its compatibility with Manifest V3 and remains a strong contender for users looking for ad blocking solutions.

5. NordVPN’s Threat Protection

For users willing to pay for a VPN service, NordVPN offers a feature called Threat Protection, which includes ad-blocking functionality.

6. Surfshark CleanWeb

Similar to NordVPN, Surfshark offers its CleanWeb feature, which blocks ads when using its VPN service.

7. Pi-hole (Domain Blocker)

Pi-hole is a network-level ad blocker that works by blocking domains that serve ads. While it doesn’t work for YouTube ads, it’s an alternative worth considering for broader ad blocking across devices.

Additional alternatives

Other ad blockers such as AdBlocker Ultimate and Total Adblock are also adapting to Manifest V3 and could be viable options for 2025.